It was hardly an even matchup when a youthful offensive line that must replace three starters went up against a suffocating defense that returns almost everyone from last season. Thus it was no surprise when Mark Richt's typical post-practice assessment was that the defense was ahead.
But as time passed, the line began to hold its own against the Bulldogs' daunting defense and the offense became more and more productive.

"We've got some work to do, but overall we definitely got better," Georgia receiver Tavarres King said. "Going up against that great defense that we have does us so much good. It really does us so much good because when you're going up against some guys like Alec Ogletree, Bacarri Rambo, Jarvis Jones, that D-line -- we've got a tremendous D-line -- it's going to make you better ultimately, and it showed."